Eurosummer and the Growing Problem with Overtourism |
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With "Eurosummer" travel in full swing, we've been thinking a lot about overtourism. A couple of years ago I was having lunch with the General Manager of a hotel in Chile, who told me how tourism numbers compare between Chile and Spain. I was astonished, and I've never forgotten that stat. Take a guess at the numbers below.
The disparity in tourism numbers between Europe and Latin America is frankly, shocking, but they shouldn't be. Many countries in Europe are so inundated with
tourists that they can no longer manage the volume, instead turning to
regulation.
What used to feel like an easy, breezy, US passport-holders' god-given summer right will now require extra layers of advance planning and perhaps a reconsideration of where to spend hard-earned vacation money and a reflection on who abroad may benefit from it most.
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Spain v. Chile Comparing 2025 tourism numbers, in millions |
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Divesting from Eurosummer:Looking South |
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We think Latin America is special, it draws us back year after year. While no two places can be compared like for like, consider these LATAM alternatives to European favorites. With an open mind, a traveler who first thought to visit Europe can find themselves in a destination just as lovely, but with more breathing room...for travelers and locals alike. |
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| Instead of Saint-Tropez or the French Riviera -->Armação dos Búzios (Brazil)
Búzios shares an identical origin story to Saint-Tropez; it was a sleepy fishing village transformed into an iconic destination after Brigitte Bardot visited in the 1960s. Instead of navigating the congested beach clubs and exorbitant seasonal premiums of the Mediterranean, clients find an artistic, barefoot-luxury paradise. Design-forward boutique pousadas sit tucked into hillsides, offering access to over 20 unique beaches without the yachts blocking the horizon.
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Instead of the Alps --> The Aysén Region of Patagonia (Chile)
While the European Alps face heavily commercialized trails and crowded cable cars, Aysén offers raw, frontier isolation. High-end eco-lodges act as remote basecamps where clients can hike through old-growth forests without seeing another soul all day. |
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| Instead of the Moorish Palaces of Andalusia --> El Centro Histórico of Cartagena (Colombia)
Rather than fighting for a strict 30-minute window at the Alhambra, clients can soak in the sensory-rich, romantic colonial architecture, bougainvillea-draped balconies, and world-class culinary scenes of Cartagena. |
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Instead of Santorini or Mykonos -->The San Blas Archipelago, Panama
Many Greek islands are feeling the strain of mega-cruise ships and overtourism. San Blas consists of over 365 tiny, postcard-perfect islands governed and protected by the indigenous Guna people. Luxury travelers charter private catamarans to sail between uninhabited islands, dive into coral reefs and experience a paradise that mass commercial tourism is legally barred from altering.
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| Instead of Iceland’s Ring Road --> The Salar de Uyuni & Desert Crossing (Bolivia)
Iceland’s Ring Road is congested with campervan traffic, roped-off paths, and packed parking lots. The high-altitude route between San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) and Uyuni (Bolivia) transforms a standard point-to-point transit into a desert odyssey. Moving in private 4x4s, travelers chart a path through otherworldly landscapes, ending with the
4,000-square-mile expanse of the mirror-like Salar.
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Instead of Rome or Florence --> Quito’s Historic Center (Ecuador)
Quito holds one of the largest, least-altered historic centers in the Americas. Instead of navigating shoulder-to-shoulder museum crowds, clients can stay in impeccably restored, design-forward colonial mansions and walk plazas where history feels entirely alive. |
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| Instead of Lake Como --> Lake Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche (Argentina)
Lake Como is notoriously gridlocked with luxury day-trippers and restricted parking. Bariloche offers the Alpine, lakeside experience with high-end historic lodges perched on private peninsulas, surrounded by pristine national park forests, artisan chocolate shops, and elite fly-fishing rivers. |
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Instead of Mallorca or Ibiza --> José Ignacio & Punta del Este (Uruguay)
Trade the heavily commercialized mega-resorts and packed beach clubs of the Balearic Islands for the understated, barefoot luxury of Uruguay's Atlantic coast. Here, exclusive design hotels and oceanfront villas host private sunset gatherings, offering an artistic, laid-back coastal scene. |
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Northern hemisphere summer is in full swing, but we feel festive requests creeping up behind us! Luckily, there's still time and unique itinerary ideas for holiday travel.
- Private villa availability in Panama! We're closing in on final room availability at Panama's top hotels, but there are still opportunities to bring families and friends together to one of Panama's luxury private villas. The Sun House and Horizon House on the Azuero Peninsula are still available for festive - get in touch!
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Our curated portfolio of DMCs and lodges represents what we love about Latin America. They are owner-run, locally-owned, sustainability-minded, and fun to work with. |
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The representation company dedicated to Latin America |
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